State Where Addiction Exacts a Steep Toll, Medicaid Work Rules Could Endanger Lives

The article describes how New Mexico residents who rely on Medicaid for treatment of life-threatening substance use disorders may face major disruption as Medicaid changes take effect. It cites national projections after the federal budget bill H.R. 1, signed by President Donald Trump, which is expected to cut federal Medicaid spending by nearly $1 trillion over a decade and impose work requirements starting January 1. A March report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute projects that 5 million to 10 million low-income Americans could lose coverage in 2028. The story highlights Sarah Gregg, 54, whose heroin addiction treatment depended on Medicaid for methadone access and transportation to daily clinic visits. It also notes that overdose deaths in New Mexico more than doubled from 2017 to 2021, reaching 1,029, amplifying concerns among advocates.